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Differentiating types of psychosis

Note: my example of a non-bizarre delusion can also be classified as an idea of reference (in which you think that TV or songs are talking about you)

Many psychiatric and general medical conditions can have symptoms of psychosis and mood disorders. The way to figure them out is to look at the timeline and the onset of the psychotic vs. mood symptoms (which came first, are they always at the same time, was there something else going on)

Disorder

Duration

Psychotic Symptoms

Mood Disorder

Schizophrenia

More than 1 month of symptoms, disturbance persisting for more than 6 months

Present (delusions, hallucinations)

Brief duration of mood symptoms

Schizoaffective Disorder

Same as schizophrenia

Present all along (with and in the absence of a mood disorder)

Brief and only at time of psychotic symptoms

Mood Disorder with Psychotic Features

Meeting the criteria for depression or bipolar I/II

Only at time of mood disorder

Present in the absence of psychotic symptoms

Schizophreniform Disorder

More than 1 month of symptoms, disturbance persisting less than 6 months

Present

Brief duration of mood symptoms

Substance-Induced Psychosis

During or within 1 month of intoxication or withdrawal (longer implies underlying psychotic disorder)

Prominent hallucinations or delusions

May exist concurrently

Delusional Disorder

At least 1 month

Non-bizarre delusions (has never met criterion A in DSM for schizophrenia)

Brief in relation to the duration of delusional period

*Brief psychotic disorder: symptoms more than 1 day, less than 1 month and not better accounted for by another psychotic disorder